Potpourri Recipes

Potpourri is widely sold and used in many homes to add a soothing fragrance to the space. While potpourri is commercially available, you can also make one. Well, making the same is as easy as kids' crafts not only for those who keep trying out various potpourri recipes but even the beginners. You can simply follow the tips and steps of a particular recipe and have your potpourri prepared at home. Further you can also try experimenting and preparing one with mix and match of ingredients. Dried flowers and leaves with other ingredients like essential oils that add fragrance and binding oils that help the mixture last longer together make a perfect potpourri.

Such a recipe is used to have enough quantity of potpourri which is further filled in trendy glass bowls or containers which are the best additions to the home decor. Many also prefer to have sachets of potpourri which are hung in the wardrobes and closets. Having a garden definitely helps have enough dried flowers and leaves to prepare a wonderful recipe. Else, use the bouquets which you might get occasionally or dried flowers from the flower vase. Or why not ask a florist for the flowers which he is anyway going to discard after they dry? Well, I am sure that you are eager to know about some easy recipes, right? Then let us move on know more about the same.

Homemade Recipes

Basic Drying Procedure
Gather the petals, small flowers and leaves according to the blend you want to have. Spread all these on a cheeses cloth. Now, cover them by placing another cheese cloth over these. Make sure you turn them every day. Keep them for drying until they are crisp and dry. The duration will vary depending upon the flowers. Average duration of drying is about 1-3 weeks. Once the petals are dry you can transfer them into a jar and proceed with the recipe.

Exotic Blend
Take exotic blossoms like cockscomb, hibiscus, myrtle and juniper berries. Dry these according to the procedure mentioned above. Now add cinnamon oil and mix well. Finally add calamus root fixative to have a long-lasting potpourri.

Lavender Blend
You will need a cup of lavender flowers, 1/4th cup of chamomile flowers and vanilla beans (segmented into centimeter-long parts). Dry these according to the aforementioned procedure. Now add a 2-3 drops of lavender oil and store in a glass jar. Add a bit of ground orris root to have a long-lasting potpourri.

Rose Blend
You will need to take rose petals, geranium petals, and leaves, Cinnamon sticks and cloves and keep these all for drying. Once these dry, transfer to the glass jar, add 3 drops of rosemary oil and 1 drop of lavender oil. Finish the recipe by sprinkling orris root powder over it.

Gardenia Blend
To prepare gardenia potpourri, dry gardenia petals and leaves by following the aforementioned procedure. You can also add small quantity of petals and leaves of other favorite flowers. Now add 4-5 drops of orange essential oil to the blend followed by orris root powder.

While you make one of the aforementioned recipes, remember that flowers and leaves will shrink substantially after they dry so you will have to take 2 cups of flowers to make 1 cup of potpourri. Even while preparing simmering potpourri recipes you need to consider the final quantity required and accordingly take the ingredients. Adding spices after grinding them will help make the recipe even better. Also, add oils drop by drop, stirring in between. Once you feel that potpourri is losing its fragrance, you can simply add a few drops of essential oils, a small quantity of dried spices and stir well. Let your potpourri spread the soothing fragrance!